Internal combustion engine



Oct. 8, 1940. WUEHR 2,217,192

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 26, L939 2 Sheets-Sheet -l Oct. 8, 1940. w, wu 2,217,192

INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE Fild July 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet? Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Willi n L. Wuehr, .r'orl; mthur, Tex.

Application July 26, 1939, Serial No. 286,604

less directly connected with the present invention have been shown, so as to simplify the descL-iption of the method.

The engine frame is shown at I0, the crank shaft at H, the connecting rod at I2, the piston rod at l3, the regular piston at M, the regular cylinder at H), the cylinder head at IS, the water jacket at", the cylinder exhaust ports at l8, and

7 Claims.

The invention relates to the utilization of the exhaust gases in internal combustion engines, particularly of the Diesel type. It has for its main object to provide improved structure and a method for utilizing the heat containedin the exhaust gases, so as to increase the efficiency-of the engine by employing the heat contained in these gases to operate a secondary and oppositely-disposed piston so that secondary power impulses will be delivered to the piston rod. Water is sprayed into the secondary piston chamber and converted into steam to augment the power, by mechanism such as is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,057,075, dated Oct. 13, 1936. A further object is to provide a structure and method which may be used in-engines of various types and timed to operate in proper relation to such engines.

This application is in part a continuation of my application, Ser. No. 114,235, filed Dec. 4, 1936.

These and various other objects and advantages will be readily understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of an engine in which the method can be'carried out. However, various modifleations may be made in the engine and in the method without varying irom the scope of the appended claims. In the drawings Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional side elevation of an engine adapted to carry out the method, the cross-section being taken approximately on the line i-I in Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the piston in their upper positions;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional top view taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. l, but showing certain valve chambers and ducts in full;

' Fig. 4' is a bottom view;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional top view taken on the line 5 -5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view of one of the slide valves employed in the engine.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of one of the slide-valve chambers.

Fig. 8 is a section similar to that of Fig. 1 showing the water circulating and injecting mechanism.

To illustrate the invention a Diesel engine of the marine type has been selected, however, it is not thereby meant to limit the invention to this or any other particular type of engine. .The present invention is a further improvement on Let e -s Pater- No. 2.057.075, grant-e to me on Oct. 16. L930. Onl such Poubb as are moi-err the scavenging ports at I9.

The cross head,

which is slidingly mounted on the guides 2|, is shown at 20.

To utilize the heat from the exhaust gases another larger and oppositely-disposed piston 22 is secured to the regular piston. This piston works in a cylinder 23 which is constructed with a double wall so as to form a plurality of chambers on the outside of the cylinder.

Two of these chambers are shown at 24 and 25 and are utilized as will be explained later.

The cylinder is clamped between-an upper plate 26 and a lower plate 21 by means of a plurality of tie-bolts .28. To simplify the drawings, these tie-bolts have been omitted on Figs. 3, 4, and 5.

The object of the present invention is to lead the exhaust gases from the cylinder I5 into the cylinder 23 and underneath the piston 22 and to spray in a quantity of water which, due to the heat of the exhaust gases, will be converted-into steam and thus drive the wardly.

large piston 22 up- This is accomplished in the following manner. As the piston descends the exhaust gases from the cylinder I5 will expand through the ports I 8 and into the chamber 24, through the exhaust pipe 29.

Referring now to Fig. 3 two ducts 3 are connected with the chamber 2i to slide-valve chambers 3!, in which valves 32 are reciprocatingly mounted. One of these valves is shown in detail in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7.

The other ends of these valve chambers are connected, by means of ducts 33, to the chamber 25.

The valves are connect with the large cylinder23.

The exhaust pressure from the chamber 45 is usuallyapproximately 40 lbs. in the average z-cycle' Diesel' engme.

Normally ascan-"engine; pump is used on this 2-cycle Diesel engine to create suction to eliminate the exhaust gases from the chamber l5. It is one of my aims to eliminate the need for a pump of this kind to assist the scavengin of the exhaust gases and my improved construction shown in my drawings is designed to accomplish this result, because the down stroke of the piston 22 creates suction in the chamber l5, like the suction created by a scavenging pump, and tends to exhaust the gases from the chamber l5 and the chamber 24 into which they have been led on the down stroke of the piston 22. On the contrary, the upward stroke of piston 22 compresses the gases that are in the chamber 23 over the piston 22, which has an area on its upper surface roughly two-thirds of the area on the lower surface. This upstroke drives the exhaust gases and compresses them into chamber 25, which is simply a conduit, and to the bottom of the piston 22, and while the piston 22 is rising the pressure from the top of the piston 22 continues to drive the gases from the chamber 23 thru the chamber 25 to below the piston 22. Simultaneously with the beginning of the upstroke of the piston the hot water valve is opened and introduces hot water of sufiicient heat content to form steam of its own accord. In other words the valve 94 is opened and introduces into the chamber below the piston 22 hot water of 350 F. to 375 F. with the exhaust gases under pressure. It has been established and shown by experiments in the 2-cycle Diesel Scott-Still engine that the gases exhausted normally and led to an exhaust hot boiler where 100 lbs. steam was formed and led back from the boiler to the engine piston in order to cool the piston, from the heat gained by contact with the Diesel the pressure was increased to 180 lbs., and when expanded under the same piston (of the same area) a gain of 18% was'obtained. My drawings show that I have an area on the lower side of the piston of approximately 50% more than that on the upper side. I obviously gain far more than 18%.

The slide valves are operated in timed relation to the engine by the following mechanism. A sprocket wheel, not shown, is secured on the crank shaft and this sprocket wheel drives a chain 38, which in turn drives a pair of sprockets 39 and 48 supported on a bracket 4|, bolted to the frame structure 10. A chain 42 is operated by the sprocket 48 and drives another sprocket 43 secured on a shaft 44 which is mounted on brackets 45 and 46 secured on the outer wall of the large cylinder.' Eccentrics 41 are secured on this shaft and their eccentric straps-48 and 49 actuate levers 50 and 5| which are pivoted on brackets 52 and 53. The upper ends of the levers 51 are connected to the valve stems 54 of the upper valves, while the lower ends of the levers 5| are connected to the valve stems 55 of the lower valves.

The method will now be described in detail. As the piston descends, the exhaust gases from the cylinder l5 enter the chamber 24, through the ports l8 and the exhaust pipe 29. From the chamber 24 the gases pass through the diicts 30 and into the slide-valve chambers 31. Ports 5'! and 58 lead from these valve chambers to the ports 51 are open the expanding exhaust gases enter the space in the large cylinder on top of the piston 22.

As shown in Fig. 7, the ports 51 align with the ducts 30, While the ports 58 align with ducts 33, thus as the valves 32 slide back and forth they alternately close the ports 5'! and ducts 30, or ports 58 and ducts 33. After the gases have entered the top of the cylinder 23 and by the time the piston reaches the bottom, the valves 32 close the ports 51 and the ducts 30 and open the ports 58 and the ducts 33. As the piston now ascends the gases are passed into the chamber 25, through the ports 58 and ducts 33.

The slide-valve chambers 35, which are located under the large cylinder, are exactly similar to the slide valve chambers 3|. From these valve chambers ports 59 and 60 lead to the bottom of the large cylinder, as shown in Fig. 5.

From the chamber 25, the gases are forced into the bottom of the cylinder 23, through the ducts 34 and ports 60, all of which are open, while the "ports 59 and ducts 3B are closed by the sliding valves 6|. A quantity of water is simultaneously injected into the lower part of the large cylinder by an injector 56. As this water comes in contact with the hot exhaust gases in the cylinder,

it is converted into steam which, upon expanding,

exerts an upward urge on the large piston.

After the upward stroke is finished, the ducts 34 and ports 68 are closed, while the duct 36 and ports 59 are opened by the valves 6!, so that the steam and gases will be exhausted through these ports and ducts, and through the exhaust manifold 31, when the piston again descends. The water injected into the cylinder is preferably the Water used in cooling the engine so that it will already possess a certain amount of heat before being injected.

Referring to Fig. 8 there is illustrated a preferred form of circulating system for the water jacket of the Diesel engine. A fresh water inlet pipe 1| connects with the jacket 12 of the combustion chamber. Leading out of the water jacket 12 is a connecting pipe 13 which passes into a filter tank, or hot well 14. A regulating valve 15 positioned on the filter tank 14 give any desired outlet water temperature by opening or closing this valve. Avent pipe 16 is connected with the filter tank 14 and provides for-overflow. A pipe 18 is provided with swivel joints I1 and 19, the joint 19 being secured on the cross-head 28. A pipe 89 from the swivel joint 19 is formed in a coil 8| about the cross-head 28 and by means of another swivel joint 82 connect the pipe 83 through the' swivels 84 and 85 with a tank 86. This structure with a'Diesel engine having an internal cooling system like that disclosed in my Patent No. 2,057,075, issued Oct. 13, 1936, is efficient. The temperature of the water in the inlet II is approximately 130 F. and in the pipe 13 as it enters the filter tank 14, the temperature is I approximately400 F. and in the tank 88 the temperature of the water is approximately 370 F. As this system is designed to be adapted to any and all makes of engines the temperature of this water will vary, of course. From the tank 86 a pipe 81 connects with a pump 88 which is operated by a piston 89 pivoted at 90 on an extension of the arm 5|. A pivot pin 9| secures the extension of the arm 5| to the end of a post 92, which is mounted on theside of the engine frame [0.2

As the pump is operated by the oscillation of the arm 5|, which has a pin 93 for operating the valve rod 55, water at a temperature of approximately 370' is forced through spray-valves 84' in the chamber beneath the large piston 22. Since the pump is actuated by the same mechanism which operates the piston valves, the hot gas from the combustion chamber l5 and the.

pressure cylinder together with the simultaneous spraying of hot water into the cylinder under high temperature and at high pressure through fine spray-heads, gives the remarkable new and useful result, providing faster engines, faster moving gases, and therefore high pressures. By bringing the pressure up on what are normally the waste products of a Diesel engine and introducing the hot water at a high temperature and under a high pressure simultaneously there is more benefit than can be derived from'the introduction of steam. The hot water injected as described in a very fine spray results in the instantaneous formation of steam. Although the steam may have a relatively high initial pressure, I propose exhausting the Diesel end of the engine a few degrees earlier, thereby obtaining more nearly adiabatic conditions in the Diesel end. Of course'these relatively low pressure gases will do more good on the large area low pressure cylinder than on the smaller Diesel end as the area worked on here is much This will aid me in reaching my aim,

less. namely equalizing power at top and bottom and making the Diesel double acting with the Diesels waste products.

It will be noted that I always compress the gases from the Diesel combustion chamber before I expand them. I preferably use a pressure of 500 pounds or more in injecting the water through the spray valve.

Having shown and described a preferred form of my invention and realizing that in view of my disclosure, many changes in detail of construction, materials and arrangement of parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art, I do not limit myself, except as in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine of the reciprocating piston type and including a driving shaft, a high-pressure cylinder, a high-pressure piston, an oppositely disposed low-pressure piston secured to the piston rod end of the high-pressure piston, a cylinder in which said low-pressure piston operates, a chamber adjacent the low-pressure cylinder into which the high-pressure cylinder exhausts, a slide valve operated by the driving shaft for conveying the exhaust gases from the chamber to the upper end of the low-pressure cylinder, a second chamber connected with the upper end of the low-pressure cylinder, a slide valve operated by the driving shaft for conveying these gases thru said second chamber to the lower end of the low-pressure cylinder to supply power to the bottom of the low-pressure piston, means for injecting water in a fine spray into the low-pressure cylinder under the low-pressure piston to mixwvith the gases, and means for exhausting the,

expanded gases from the low-pressure cylinder. 2. In combination with an internal combustion engine of the reciprocating piston type havwater I used is ing awater-cooling system and including a driving shaft, a high-pressure cylinder, a high-pressure piston, an oppositely disposed low-pressure piston secured to the piston rod end of the high-pressure piston, a cylinder in which said low-pressure piston operates, chambers adjacent the low-pressure cylinder, valves, operated by the drive shaft, for-conveying the exhaust gases from the high-pressure cylinder to the upper end of the low-pressure cylinder, valves operated by the drive shaft for conveying these gases thru said chambers to the lower end of the lowpressure cylinder to supply power to the lowpressure piston, means for conveying water from the water-cooling system to the low-pressure cylinder under the low-pressure piston, means for injecting water in a fine spray into the lowpressure cylinder to mix with the gases, and means for exhausting the expanded the low-pressure cylinder.

3. In combination with a water cooled engine of the reciprocating-piston type and including a driving shaft, a high-pressure cylinder,

a high-pressure piston, an oppositely disposed low-pressure piston secured to the piston-rod end of the high-pressure piston, a cylinder in which said low-pressure piston operates, a chamber adjacent the'low-pressure cylinder into which the high-pressure cylinder exhausts, a valve for conveying the exhaust gases from said chamber to the upper end of the low-pressure cylinder, a second chamber, a valve for conveying these gases thru said second chamber to the lower end of the low-pressure cylinder to supply power to the low-pressure piston, means for forcibly conveying water from the cylinder-cooling system to the low-pressure cylinder under the lowpressure piston, means for atomizing the cooling water before mixing it with the exhaust gases contained in the low-pressure cylinder, and means for exhausting the gases from the lowpressure cylinder.

4. In combination with a water-cooled engine of the reciprocating-piston type and including a driving shaft, a high-pressure cylinder, a highpressure piston, an oppositely disposed low-pressure piston secured to the piston-rod end of the high-pressure piston, a cylinder in which said low-pressure piston operates, a chamber adjacent the low-pressure cylinder into which the high-pressure cylinder exhausts, a valve for conveying the exhaust gases from said chamber gases from to the upper end of the low-pressure cylinder,

a second chamber, a valve for conveying these gases thru said second chamber to the operating end of the low-pressure cylinder to supply power to the low-pressure piston, means for forcibly conveying water from the cylinder cooling system to the bottom of the low-pressure cylinder, said means including a section movable with the cross-head,'means for atomizing the cooling water before mixing it with the exhaust gases contained in the low-pressure cyland adjacent the low-pressure-piston cylinder into'which the high-pressure cylinder exhausts,

a valve for conveying the exhaust gases from the 5 chamber to the upper end of the low-pressure cylinder, a. second chamber, a valve for conveying these exhaust gases thru said second chamber to the lower end of the low-pressure cylinder to supply power to the low-pressure piston, the

aforementioned valves being operated by the driving shaft, means for forcibly conveying water from the cylinder-cooling system into the lowpressure cylinder comprising a pump operated by the driving shaft, a valve in the bottom of said cylinder, means for atomizing the, cooling water before mixing it with the exhaust gases contained in the low-pressure cylinder, means for timing the admittance of the exhaust gases to the low-pressure cylinder and actuated by the driving shaft, means for timing the expansion of these gases, and. means for exhausting the gases from the low-pressure'cylinder.

6. In combination with a water-cooled engine of the reciprocating-piston type and including a driving shaft, a high-pressure cylinder, a highpressure piston, an oppositely disposed low-pressure piston secured to the piston end of the highpressure piston, a cylinder in which said lowpressure piston operates, a chamber lying outside and adjacent the low-pressure piston cylinder into which the high-pressure cylinder exhausts, a valve for conveying the exhaust gases from the chamber to the upper end of the low-pressure cylinder, a second chamber, a valve for conveying these exhaust gases thru said second chamber to the lower end of the low-pressure cylinder to supply power to the low-pressure piston, the aforementioned valves being operated by the driving shaft, means for forcibly conveying water from the cylinder-cooling system into the lowpressure cylinder comprising a pump operated by the driving shaft, a valve in the bottom of said cylinder, means for atomizing the cooling water before mixing it with the exhaust gases contained 9,917,109 pressure piston operates, a chamber lying outside in the low-pressure cylinder, means for timing the admittance of the exhaust gases to the lowpressure cylinder actuated by the driving shaft,

means for timing the expansion!!! these gases,

and means for exhausting the gases from the lowpressure cylinder, said water-cooling system including a filter, a section mounted on the crosshead, a tank, and a pump actuated by the driving' shaft.

7. In combination with a water-cooled engine of the reciprocating-piston type and including a driving shaft, a high-pressure cylinder, a highpressure piston, an oppositely disposed low-pressure piston secured to the piston end of the highpressure piston, a cylinder in which said lowpressure piston operates, a chamber lying outside and adjacent the low-pressure-piston cylinder into which the high-pressure cylinder exhausts, a valvefor conveying the exhaust gases from the chamber to the upper end of the low-pressure cylinder, a second chamber, a valve for conveying these exhaust gases thru said second chamber to the lower end of the low-pressure cylinder to supply power to the low-pressure piston, the aforementioned valves being operated by'the driving shaft, means for forcibly conveying water from the cylinder-cooling system into the low-pressure cylinder comprising a pump operated by the driving shaft, a valve in the bottom of said cylinder, means for atomizing the cooling water before mixing it with the exhaust gases contained in the low-pressure cylinder, means for timing the admittance of the exhaust gases to the low-pressure cylinder and actuated by the driving shaft, means for timing the expansion of thesegases, and means for exhausting the gases from the lowpressure cylinder, the driving shaft operating mechanism, including two levers pivotally connected at one end, rods connected with the other ends of the levers for operating the valves, and a second lever connected with the rod end of one of the two levers and also connected with a shaft that actuatesthe pump.

. WILLIAM L. WUEHR. 

